If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Yes, the Chargers and the Colts lit our defense up. Quick question: does anyone deny that those are the two best offenses in the entire league, headed by the best players at QB, RB, TE and maybe even WR? Yes, the Chiefs ran all over us. By the way, I've heard that Larry Johnson is a pretty good RB and that they've been running the ball quite well in KC for a couple of years now. Yes, we went 0-3 in our last three games against those teams mentioned above, but they're all playoff caliber teams and we lost by an average of just 7 points.

My point is, why is it that every time the Broncos lose a game, all of their fans lose their heads?! Our team is still pretty good. They've had a chance to win against the best teams in the league and I see no reason for that to change.

Do you realize that our "pathetic" running game averages 4.5 ypc (6th best), 132.8 yards per game (7th best) and has scored 9 TDs (7th best)? Oh, and the o-line that gets so much grief has also only allowed 17 sacks (9th least). We run the ball well, we protect the QB (even if it is with our play calling) and we still play good D. I mean, there are only four teams that give up less points per game than the Broncos. Are we flawed? Yes, but who isn't. Can we still compete? Absolutely. Get a grip guys, that's all I'm saying.

all valid points if you hadn't actually watched the last three games. for instance, against KC, we couldn't tackle LJ. it wasn't even that he was just playing well, there were at least two plays when 4+ guys missed tackles. that's not LJ's talent so much as it was our complete inability to execute.

on special teams, we are absolutely awful. i don't think there's any way that you can convince me it's not as bad as it looks. it's usually much worse. we can't cover a kick off, we can't return a kick off, our players make bonehead plays (witness cecil sapp fielding the ball at the 1). again, this is not an indicator of a team that will even compete in the playoffs.

our offense has gotten worse and worse over the season. how are you possibly going to excuse our worst rushing output in years last week? or the way the running game has simply failed to help denver hold onto the ball in critical situations? i give jake a lot of grief for not ever converting 3rd downs, but on the flip side, the running game should NOT be putting him into so many third and long situations. playoffs teams simply don't have as many third and longs as we've had lately.

and again, great, they're amazing offenses. what do you think we'd face if we made the playoffs? the cleveland browns again?

i don't recall us doing much of anything for jake last week. keep in mind that, as many dumb plays as he may make after the fact, he avoids a LOT of sacks simply by being mobile. matt lepsis erik pears is not. our right tackle situation has just been weak this year.

denver has all the talent to turn it around, but most of thing i see are lack of execution and poor coaching (pointing specifically to the defense). if those get turned on again, anything's possible, but from the last three weeks, broncos fans have a good reason to be a bit pessimistic.

Comment

So far we're 3-3 against likely AFC playoffs teams. Our three losses have come to SD, KC and Indy by an average of just under 7 points. Our three wins have come over NE, KC and Baltimore by an average of just over 7 points. Sure, it's looked worse than that, but the only stats that truly matter are wins, loses and the score. If the season ended today we'd be in the playoffs with those same teams listed above and we'd still have a shot at beating every single one of them, just as we did the first time around. The only teams that could change that are Jacksonville and Cincinnati, two teams that are just as flawed as we are. We're making the playoffs and, when we do, we'll make some noise. All of this doomsday talk is just a bit annoying. The only change that I think we can make at this point would be to bench Plummer in favor of Cutler in the hopes of creating the same sort of spark that Dallas got from their new QB.

Comment

i don't think anyone believes this team doesn't have a chance. in fact, i even JUST said they have the talent. but you're absolutely insane if you think we can play as poorly as we have recently the rest of the season and still beat anyone in the playoffs, let alone even make it that far.

Comment

Now that Cutler is apparently our starting QB, I'd like to take this oportunity to turn the corner, change the topic and hopefully the tone of this thread. It's time to let og of the past and embrace the future. With that in mind, this sort of QB change has resulted in a positive bump for pretty much every team that's tried it this season. All the players seem to step it up when they see their coach is doing it in time to salvage the season instead of simply tanking it. This is what I'm looking for from the Broncos at this point.

Our remaining schedule is pretty brutal, with the Arizona game being the only thing close to a guaranteed win. If we're still in the playoff hunt and the 49ers are not by the time that last week of the regular season comes around (both of which I think will be true) I think that one is in the bag as well. Beating Cincy would be a huge win as far as a potential wildcard is concerned and winning in San Diego, while improbable, could vault us back into contention in the division. The Seattle game is looking tougher and tougher as they get healthy and we break in a new QB, but it's at home and both Hasselbeck and Alaexander should be rusty.

If you're a pessimist, it's easy to think we'll go 1-4 in those last five and finish up at .500. If you're an optimist like me, you see us going 3-2 and sneaking into the playoffs with some momentum. Maybe it will take a solid performance against the Seahawks (or even a win) to make believers out of the rest of you, but I'm hopeful. I mean, what's the point of being a fan if you're not hopeful?

Comment

If the Broncos get back into the shape they were before they lost to the Chargers, we can easily go 4-1. In fact, I do not underestimate us. We have the TALENT to go 5-0. In my opnion, we are more talented than the Chargers, Bengals, Seahawks, 49ers, and Cardinals.

However, aside from that talent, in the pass week, after assessment, it's clear that penalties, mental lapses in special teams coverage, poor tackling, struggling running game, and boneheaded QB play brought us down against SD and KC (and those losses were still an avg of a little over one TD). These are all problems that we are now facing but werre not problems before we lost to SD.. which basically means all of these problems are fixable. Sorry if I sounded "pessimistic" earlier, it's just my usual reaction right after a loss...

I really hope Cutler brings in the spark. THere is no question he has the talent. In the preseason, we also saw that he had the poise. If he can come in with confidence and efficiency (which is all that is really asked for), with the talent we have on both sides of the ball, we can win out our schedule. Chargers are good, but we can beat them... if our offense was able to just move the chains score a few FGs at least and run out more clock, it would've rested our defense more too and we would've easily won. The Cowboys responded well to a QB change, and hopefully so will this Broncos team.

I look forward to playing against the Seahawks. But trust me, with 10 days to practice for the Seahawks, I assure you that the Broncos will not let anyone rush on them like KC and SD did again.

Projected win total: 55+

Comment

Alexander was UNGODLY tonight on MNF. I really hope this long week of practice and preparation, along with a team-wide spark due to the QB change, will correct the problems that let KC and, to a lesser and more forgivable extent, SD run all over us. Hasselback looked terrible, but those spread sets are going to put a lot of stress on our DBs in pass coverage and on the front seven as they try to slow Alexander down. The Pack scored plenty and they left even more points on the field, so an efficient performance by our offense should yield a solid output. I see this one being another shootout, which concerns me because we haven't won one of those all year. That said, I still have faith. So long as we play well, I think we can pull a playoff spot out of a hat with enough momentum to be able to surprise some people then. Let's Go Broncos!

Comment

Does anyone remember what exactly the trade with Washington was for this years draft picks. I believe it was part of the Lelie to Atlanta, Duckett to Washington and Washington to Denver was . . . Thanks I am curious to look ahead.

Comment

Does anyone remember what exactly the trade with Washington was for this years draft picks. I believe it was part of the Lelie to Atlanta, Duckett to Washington and Washington to Denver was . . . Thanks I am curious to look ahead.

i believe chris has quoted it to denver and washington swap 1sts if both make the playoffs, if washington doesn't (or i believe if we don't) we get their third this year. i believe either way we get their 4th next year. and chris alluded to some situations where we wouldn't get their third this year, but i can't imagine what those would be.